UC Food Blog Feedhttp://calagtour.org/index.cfm?blogrss=2606&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
UC Food Blogen-usUC ANRhttp://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/Mon, 19 Mar 2018 18:48:01 PSTMon, 19 Mar 2018 18:48:01 PSTUC ANR Urban farming workshops start soon in Sacramento and San DiegoAre you an urban farmer in the Sacramento or San Diego region? Are you a gardener thinking of selling some of your produce to neighbors, restaurants or at a farmers' market? Are you part of a non-profit organization growing and distributing food in your community? If so, you are invited to join other urban farmers at one or more of four low-cost full-day workshops starting soon in both the Sacramento and San Diego regions, offered by UC Cooperative Extension and local partners.
Learn more......]]>Mon, 05 Mar 2018 14:47:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26523&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26523Agricultureurban agriculture Announcing California's inaugural Food Waste Prevention WeekUC Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Nutrition Policy Institute are pleased to announce March 5 - 9, 2018, as California's inaugural Food Waste Prevention Week. During this week, a range of partners statewide, including the Governor, the Secretary of Agriculture, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, as well as many other agency leaders in public health, natural resources management, nutrition, and other sectors, are coming together in an unprecedented collaboration to raise......]]>Mon, 05 Mar 2018 08:09:55 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26500&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
easizensky@ucanr.edu(Liz Sizensky)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26500AgricultureEnvironmentFoodfood wasteFood Waste Prevention WeekHealthNatural ResourcesNutrition Policy Institute SNAP-Ed: It's a life changerIn January, more than 600 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program &ndash; Education (SNAP-Ed) professionals across California gathered in Sacramento for the SNAP-Ed Local Implementing Agency Forum. This two-day annual gathering celebrates SNAP-Ed work, offers a platform to share lessons learned, and provides training opportunities. The 2018 theme was: &ldquo;Building Power through Stories of Change&rdquo;.
During one of the plenary sessions, Stories of Change: Voices from the Community, we......]]>Mon, 26 Feb 2018 10:09:18 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26404&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
amnicoli@ucdavis.edu(Andra Nicoli)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26404FamilyFoodfood stampsHealthSNAP-Ed Why I'm the cupcake policePut yourself for a minute in some kid-sized shoes. Let's call you Maggie. You are in third grade. Your dad works full time and he picked you up from the afterschool program at 6:00 p.m. You and dad got home about 7:00 p.m. because you had to stop by QuikMart to pick up something for dinner and put a little gas in the car. When you got home dad cooked the frozen pizza and you sat down to eat and drink your soda around 7:30 p.m. By the time you finished eating, took your shower, helped dad......]]>Tue, 20 Feb 2018 09:23:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26342&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
sklisch@ucanr.edu(Shannon Klisch)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26342FoodHealthnutritionphysical activityschool lunch New preschool food mural to encourage healthful eating to be unveiled Feb. 23Students' surroundings can greatly impact their learning and health, research has shown.
In an effort to enhance nutrition, learning and health for these students in Oakland, the University of California Cooperative Extension, UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program, Luther Burbank Preschool and Oakland Unified School District Early Childhood Education supported the installation of a mural that features silhouettes of children of different abilities among flowers, fruit and other foods cast......]]>Fri, 16 Feb 2018 16:01:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26384&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26384FoodNutritionTuline BaykalUC CalFresh Farmers can increase income by expanding small operations with creative new businessesFarms that sell only fresh produce are dependent on buyers for markets and pricing. The UC Cooperative Extension small farms team in Fresno and Tulare counties believes farmers can earn more money by taking production a step further, by adding extra value to their products with processing, preserving and packaging the produce.
UC Cooperative Extension small farms advisor Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, and Fresno State's Office of......]]>Fri, 09 Feb 2018 08:38:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26327&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26327AgricultureEconomic DevelopmentFoodLorena RamosMichael YangRuth Dahlquist-Willardvalue-added On Super Bowl Sunday, don't drop the ball on food safetyAt Super Bowl parties, dropped passes and missed tackles should be the only things making football fans' stomachs churn. Leaving food out for more than two hours can be hazardous to your health and that of your guests, cautions a UC Cooperative Extension nutrition expert.
You may be thinking, &ldquo;I've eaten food that sat out longer than two hours and not thrown up.&rdquo; Consider yourself lucky.
&ldquo;We keep learning more about foodborne illness,&rdquo; says Patti Wooten Swanson, UC......]]>Sun, 04 Feb 2018 12:02:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26278&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26278FoodFood SafetyHealth 4-H chili cookoff: Heralding green and whiteWhat's green and white and wins a county 4-H chili cookoff?
Chili, 4-H chili.
And it's just in time for Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 4 when the New England Patriots square off in Minneapolis, Minn., with the Philadelphia Eagles.
A sibling team from the Dixon Ridge 4-H Club won the 2018 Solano County 4-H Chili Cookoff with a recipe titled &ldquo;4-H Green and White Chili," featuring pork shoulder and pork sausage and four different varieties of peppers. The five-team competition took place at......]]>Thu, 01 Feb 2018 08:47:44 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26179&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kegarvey@ucdavis.edu(Kathy Keatley Garvey)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=261794-HchiliFoodSolano County 4-HSolano County 4-H Chili CookoffSolano County 4-H Youth Development ProgramValerie Williams Keep spoilage away with UC Master Food Preserver guidelinesWhat's the best aspect of food preservation in the winter? Safely enjoying the fruits (veggies and meats) of your labor! How do you ensure that time is spent savoring the sight, smell, and taste of a home preserved product, rather than turning up your nose at unsightly mold speckled contents?
First, stay organized.
From the very beginning, implement a canning system. For example, jars, lids, and rings are used in the canning process, but not all can be re-used. Visibly mark used lids to......]]>Tue, 30 Jan 2018 14:53:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26211&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kbogburn@ucanr.edu(Katelyn Ogburn)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26211FoodMaster Food Preserver Produce safety training ensuring continued enjoyment of specialty cropsOakleaf, Mizuna, Red Rib Chicory, Lollo Rosa, and Lamb's Lettuce, are the names of a few of the leafy vegetables which graced my salad plate. The thinly sliced fresh red onion, juicy pomegranate kernels, and fresh citrus dressing added to the delectable ensemble. I, as well as so many other California diners, have grown accustomed to the taste-bud sensations that await us in this day of the farm-to-fork movement.
As I inhaled my salad, I couldn't help but think of the recent E. coli O157:H7......]]>Fri, 26 Jan 2018 09:23:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26171&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
cmbrunner@ucdavis.edu(Chris M Brunner)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26171FoodFood Safety New project seeks to build on the benefits of elderberriesCan plants typically grown for hedgerows also be a source of income? That's the question guiding a new UC study on the potential for farmers to grow elderberries as a commercial crop.
Blue elderberry, a California native plant with clusters of small bluish-black berries and a sweet-tart flavor, have long been eaten by Native Americans in the western states and are used today in jam, syrups, wines and liqueurs. And while elderberry orchards are popping up in parts of the Midwest, California's......]]>Mon, 22 Jan 2018 09:32:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26089&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
abthompson@ucdavis.edu(Aubrey Thompson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26089AgroforestryEconomic DevelopmentFoodnative plantssmall farmssustainable agriculture Trends we're watching in 2018: experts weigh in on water, GM, science communication and moreAs we settle into 2018, it's natural to wonder what the New Year may bring. There have been dozens of "trend pieces" discussing what's in store. In this wrap, we consider possible 2018 trends in water, the GM debate, science communication, and food and nutrition.
Water
After one of the driest Decembers on record, many Californians continue to worry about water supply. I turned to UC ANR water expert Faith Kearns. Faith is a scientist and communicator at the California Institute for Water......]]>Tue, 09 Jan 2018 08:27:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26052&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
rhsmith@ucop.edu(Rose Marie Hayden-Smith)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26052agricultureCalifornia Water InstitutefoodGMOnutritionNutrition Policy Institutescience communicationtrendswater No joke: The reality of the starving student and what UC is doing to helpAs we celebrate the winter holiday season with its many joyful occasions, it's sobering to think how many people are in need of nutritious food. Millions of people are at risk of going hungry, says Feeding America. And according to groundbreaking studies by the University of California, we now know that a large number of college students are among the hungry.
A significant problem, &ldquo;starving students&rdquo; are not a lighthearted joke: students are going hungry and sometimes homeless,......]]>Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:56:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25969&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
easizensky@ucanr.edu(Liz Sizensky)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25969food securityHealthhousing securityNutrition Policy Institute Connecting with farmers over pineapple postharvest practicesAt the end of a long year, sometimes it helps to reconnect with what motivates your work.
For Karin Albornoz &mdash; a Ph.D. student who works in the Diane Beckles Lab at UC Davis on molecular biology related to tomato postharvest chilling injury &mdash; that means getting out into the world to work directly with small-scale farmers.
"I spend so much time in the lab," she said. "Sometimes I spend a whole day in the lab extracting RNA or writing a paper. This reminds me why I am doing this......]]>Wed, 20 Dec 2017 08:47:45 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25897&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
bldawson@ucdavis.edu(Brenda Dawson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25897AfricaHorticulture CRSPHorticulture Innovation LabpostharvestUC Davis California’s nascent coffee industry to hold summit Jan. 18Coffee is being commercially grown in California and coffee drinkers can't get enough of the locally produced beverage, which currently retails for about $18 per cup. Anyone who is interested in growing, processing or marketing specialty coffee in California is invited to a Coffee Summit on Jan. 18 at Cal Poly Pomona.
Until recently, American coffee was grown commercially only in Hawaii. To make the most of their precious water, California farmers have begun experimenting with coffee plantings......]]>Tue, 12 Dec 2017 15:28:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25857&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25857CoffeeMark Gaskell Visit mountain mandarin orchards for tasty treatsNestled in the rolling foothills of Placer County, just northeast of Sacramento, are more than 35 beautiful small family farms growing mandarin oranges. The warm days and cool nights in Penryn, Newcastle, Loomis, Lincoln and Auburn make this area a perfect place to grow sweet, juicy, seedless mandarins. Welsh settlers in the town of Penryn first planted Satusuma mandarin orchards in the 1880s; some of their descendants are still tending Satsuma groves today. These original growers have been......]]>Wed, 29 Nov 2017 09:34:10 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25728&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
paleff@ucdavis.edu(Penny Leff)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25728 Vibrant purple sweet potatoes are a healthful Thanksgiving surpriseCandied sweet potatoes &ndash; dripping with butter, brown sugar and pecans &ndash; or a casserole of mashed sweet potatoes smothered with toasted marshmallows are common sides on the Thanksgiving table. These rich dishes belie the true nature of sweet potatoes, which are nutrient packed, low-glycemic root vegetables that can be a part of a healthy diet year round.
Research by UC Cooperative Extension advisor Scott Stoddard is aimed at making sweet potatoes an even more healthful and......]]>Mon, 20 Nov 2017 08:49:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25672&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25672Scott Stoddardsweet potatoThanksgiving Simple tips for the best Thanksgiving&ldquo;What if, today, we were grateful for everything?&rdquo; asks Charlie Brown.
You don't need to be a beloved cartoon character to understand the meaning of Thanksgiving. Giving thanks seems like an excellent goal for this year's celebration &hellip; and every day, really. Here are some important steps for a healthy, delicious and memorable holiday.
First, be safe Millions of Americans will be celebrating this Thanksgiving. Foodborne illness is a real concern. So, let's......]]>Sat, 18 Nov 2017 08:24:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25658&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
rhsmith@ucop.edu(Rose Marie Hayden-Smith)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25658FDALos Angeles TimesMaster Food PreserversNew York TimesNutrition Policy InstituteThanksgivingturkeyUSDA Thanksgiving persimmons are autumn joyWhen the weather cools in the fall and the holidays draw near, orange orbs ripen on persimmon trees in California to offer a fresh autumn sweetness in time for Thanksgiving recipes and holiday d&eacute;cor.
At the UC South Coast Research and Extension Center (SCREC) in Irvine, a collection of 53 persimmon varieties are at their peak in November when the public is invited for tasting and harvesting at the annual persimmon field day.
&ldquo;We want to raise awareness about persimmons,&rdquo;......]]>Thu, 16 Nov 2017 08:02:23 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25661&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25661Cinda WebbpersimmonsShirley SaladoSouth Coast Research and Extension CenterTammy MajcherekThanksgiving 'Know beans' about a delicious ThanksgivingIf you say "I don't know beans" about beans, you ought to.
Beans are one of civilization's earliest cultivated crops, dating back to the early seventh millennium BCE. Today there are more than 40,000 varieties of beans worldwide.
Beans can also have a place on the Thanksgiving table. The Maple Spice blog for vegans shares a meat-free substitute for turkey that combines mashed white canelli beans, nutritional yeast, vital wheat gluten and spices to create a loaf that slices like turkey breast.......]]>Tue, 14 Nov 2017 10:03:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25586&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kegarvey@ucdavis.edu(Kathy Keatley Garvey)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25586Dry Bean Daynavy beansRachael LongRosane OliveiraThanksgivingUC Agricultural and Natural ResourcesUC DavisUC Davis Integrative Medicine ProgramYolo County Farm Advisor Military veterans and beginning farmers invited to poultry workshopsProspective, beginner or intermediate farmers interested in raising poultry flocks on pasture or free-range are invited to attend poultry workshops. The lessons will apply to both egg-laying hens and broilers. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the Farmer Veteran Coalition have partnered to provide training for military veterans who are embarking on careers in farming, but all farmers are welcome to the workshops.
Workshops will......]]>Tue, 07 Nov 2017 13:52:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25608&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25608Maurice PiteskyPoultry Joining forces to promote child health and wellnessAccording to current statistics, approximately 40 percent of school-age children in the U.S. are overweight or obese. This statistic is reflected in rising rates of diabetes, pre-diabetes, and heart disease risk factors. Nearly one-quarter of all children are pre-diabetic or diabetic at the time when they leave high school, a figure that has increased dramatically in the last decade. Dental problems, the other very common health problem of youth, carry the potential for current and future......]]>Mon, 06 Nov 2017 17:00:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25386&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
easizensky@ucanr.edu(Liz Sizensky)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25386childhood obesitydrinking wateroral healthsugar-sweetened beveragesugary beveragetooth decay Tree fruit and nut growers invited to two-week UC orchard management courseTree fruit and nut growers are invited to attend the &ldquo;Principles of Fruit and Nut Tree Growth, Cropping and Management&rdquo; course offered by the UC Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center. The annual two-week course will be held from Feb. 19, 2018, through March 1, 2018, at the UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center (ARC).
Understanding the fundamentals of tree biology is essential to making sound orchard management and business decisions in the fruit and nut industries.......]]>Mon, 30 Oct 2017 10:52:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25530&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25530Fruit and Nut CropFruit and Nut Research and Information CenterKevin DayTed DeJong Investment in training new farmers is paying offTraining people to farm is successfully preparing them for careers, according to a new report from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Their report, &ldquo;Cultivating the Next Generation,&rdquo; evaluates the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, which was funded in the 2008 Farm Bill.
Since 2008, USDA has invested roughly $150 million in more than 250 new farmer training projects across the country.
According to a national......]]>Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:40:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25487&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25487beginning farmersJennifer Sowerwine Advances in Pistachio Production Short Course offered Nov. 14-16UC Agriculture and Natural Resources will be offering a three-day, multi-topic Pistachio Production Short Course on Nov. 14-16, 2017. Held in Visalia, this course will provide participants with the latest information and research from several UC experts on pistachio orchard production, field preparation, planting, pruning, economics, diseases, integrated pest management, and harvesting. The course is designed for orchard decision makers, and covers the latest scientific research that supports......]]>Wed, 04 Oct 2017 11:54:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25356&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25356Pistachios UC ANR Global Food Initiative fellows take aim at food insecurity and obesityThree University of California students have been selected by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources as Global Food Initiative (GFI) fellows for 2017-18.
UC Berkeley graduate students Kristal Caballero, Elsbeth Sites and Sonya Zhu are the GFI fellows who will work with ANR academics and staff to address the issue of how to sustainably and nutritiously feed a world population expected to reach 8 billion by 2025.
The GFI fellows are part of a group of 50 UC graduate and undergraduate students......]]>Tue, 03 Oct 2017 17:04:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25347&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25347Global Food Initiative Quirky storytelling on a powerful platform supports economic development, farmers and familiesNick Papadopoulos wants to create a culture of infectious enthusiasm in the farm and food world. This year he's hit the road with a cell phone and eight-foot selfie pole, digging into communities to find everyday people who are having a positive impact on farms, gardens, markets and food banks.
He found his passion as a small-scale organic farmer dismayed by a cooler full of wholesome food without a buyer. Just miles away families were suffering food insecurity. The dilemma sparked the......]]>Fri, 29 Sep 2017 18:41:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25316&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25316CropMobster Supplement promises to create climate smart cowsBelching beef and dairy cows emit a significant amount of methane, sending a potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere where it can contribute to climate change. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources researcher Ermais Kebreab, a professor in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis, is studying a potential new solution.
In European studies, supplementation with just 15 grams of a formulation called Mootral, derived from garlic and citrus extracts, killed bacteria in the cow's gut that......]]>Thu, 28 Sep 2017 20:54:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25304&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25304 Partnering with produce providersWhat's one way to combat food waste, save money, and expand food knowledge? Ask a UC Master Food Preserver.
Or rather, have a group of dedicated volunteers do a hands-on demo at a CSA pick-up location. Tanaka Farms, located in Orange County, did just that. The farm's Community Supported Agriculture program delivers more than 1,600 produce boxes a month to a subscriber base that is highly motivated to prepare and cook food. Educating their customers is a mission of Tanaka Farms CSA as well as a......]]>Wed, 13 Sep 2017 08:56:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25092&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kbogburn@ucanr.edu(Katelyn Ogburn)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25092Master Food Preservers The beautiful and healthful pitahaya thrives in Southern CaliforniaFarmer Arian Williams is successfully tending 16 acres of avocados in the De Luz area of Temecula, but he and his wife came to the 10th annual UC Pitahaya Festival in August to see whether there is commercial potential in producing pitahaya.
"We're taking cuttings, and trying it now," Williams said.
Vanessa Caballero, Williams wife, was enthusiastic about the prospect. "I love the way pitahayas look, and there are not too many grown commercially now," she said.
The field day at......]]>Thu, 31 Aug 2017 09:25:09 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25044&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25044Niamh QuinnPitahayaRamiro Lobo Sunpreme raisins a hit at the UC Kearney Grape Day 2017Excitement over the new Sunpreme raisins was evident at UC Kearney Grape Day Aug. 8, 2017. As soon as the tram stopped, dozens of farmers and other industry professionals rushed over to the vineyard to take a close look and sample the fruit. Raisins pulled from the vine were meaty with very little residual seed. The flavor was a deep, sweet floral with a muscat note.
Sunpreme raisins, bred by now-retired USDA breeder David Ramming, promise a nearly labor-free raisin production system.......]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2017 11:38:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24875&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24875Andreas WestphalGeorge ZhuanggrapesMatthew Fidelibusraisins #Collabatition: A new network of food hubs looks past competition to help each other succeedIn today's food system, large scale food distribution has become the standard way food moves from farm to market. The system works well to feed a lot of people, and has allowed us to eat tomatoes in December and send produce far distances while keeping it fresh. But the system is not without its sacrifices.
Through large scale food distribution, farmers can lose the ability to set their own prices, and small-scale farmers can be cut out from the system for not being able to fill high volume......]]>Thu, 10 Aug 2017 09:56:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24880&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
abthompson@ucdavis.edu(Aubrey Thompson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24880food hubslocal foodlocal growersSmall Farmssmall-scale farmssustainable agricultureSustainable Food Systems Go back-to-school with a gardenIt's that time already when the kids start heading back to school and meals go back to a strict schedule. It can be easy to turn to take-out and other convenience foods to make meal times more manageable, especially during the rush of back-to-school. However, there's a long school year ahead and focusing on good habits now can set the tone for the next nine months. The old adage that &ldquo;food is fuel&rdquo; rings true - healthy choices help kids maintain a healthy weight, avoid health......]]>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 11:24:52 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24870&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
mgwomack@ucanr.edu(Melissa G. Womack)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24870gardeningschoolUC Master Gardener Explore tools that UC researchers use with smallholder farmers around the worldPlanted in a corner of the UC Davis campus is a display of technologies and vegetable crops that researchers with the Horticulture Innovation Lab have been using with farmers in Africa, Asia and Central America. Led by UC ANR's Elizabeth Mitcham in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, this program harnesses the agricultural expertise of a network of U.S. university researchers to improve how farmers in developing countries grow fruits and vegetables.
More often than not, the learning......]]>Wed, 26 Jul 2017 07:51:30 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24749&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
bldawson@ucdavis.edu(Brenda Dawson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24749cold storageHorticulture CRSPHorticulture Innovation Labpostharvestsolar dryingUC Davis Food waste is an ethical and environmental issueSummer brings an abundance of luscious and healthy fruits and vegetables. It's easy to buy more than we can eat, which sometimes results in #foodwaste.
In a guest blog post for the UC Food Observer, UC researcher Wendi Gosliner (part of the team at UC ANR's Nutrition Policy Institute, a cutting-edge unit that's using research to transform public policy) shared this observation:
&ldquo;Food waste presents a major challenge in the United States. Estimates suggest that up to 40% of the food......]]>Fri, 14 Jul 2017 11:46:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24623&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
rhsmith@ucop.edu(Rose Marie Hayden-Smith)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24623food wasteMaster Food PreserversNRDCNutrition Policy InstituteUC ANRUC Food ObserverUC Master GardenerWWI School gardens get new life from UC Cooperative Extension volunteersWhen children grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables, they are much more likely to eat healthy food, so for decades California politicians, teachers and nutrition educators have advocated for a garden in every school. However, UC Cooperative Extension experts in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties found that garden care can dwindle over time.
&ldquo;Students and their parents &lsquo;age out' of their elementary schools,&rdquo; said Shannon Klisch, UC CalFresh community education......]]>Thu, 13 Jul 2017 09:59:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24604&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24604Katherine SouleLisa Paniaguaschool gardensShannon KlischUC CalFresh UC ANR hosts workshops for California's urban farmersIn communities around California, urban farms provide fresh produce, community green space, and even job training. However, a 2014 UC ANR needs assessment indicated that urban farmers face challenges, as well as opportunities. They are often beginning farmers, and encounter barriers related to growing in the city, such as zoning restrictions.
Building on the needs assessment, a team of UC ANR researchers created a resource website for California urban farmers. This year, team members and......]]>Wed, 12 Jul 2017 08:56:44 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24575&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
ramabie@ucanr.edu(Rachel A. Surls)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24575Los Angeles, CA, USAfood systemlocal foodurbanurban agricultureUrban Agriculture/Local and Regional Food Systems FOOD IT: How will technology shape the future of food?More than 300 people gathered in Mountain View for the fourth annual FOOD IT: Fork to Farm on June 27 to discuss the role of information technology in the food system &ndash; from managing crops in the field to dealing with consumer food waste.
The event, hosted by The Mixing Bowl, attracted professionals who intersect with every part of the food system, from farmers to scientists, from entrepreneurs to venture capital investors.
Panelists discussed the shift in power caused by the rise of......]]>Wed, 28 Jun 2017 12:04:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24534&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24534ag techFOOD IT Late-harvest processing peaches produce more profit, new UC studies showTree fruit growers can receive premiums for delivering certain extra-early varieties of peaches, but peach farmers may net roughly $800 more per acre from late-harvest processing peaches than extra-early harvest varieties, according to new cost studies released by the UC ANR Agricultural Issues Center and UC Cooperative Extension.
To help farmers make decisions on which peach varieties to plant, UC researchers present sample costs to produce extra-early harvested cling and freestone......]]>Wed, 21 Jun 2017 16:19:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24459&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24459Agricultural Issues CenterCost studiesJanine HaseyPeachesRoger Duncan UC's Pat Crawford weighs in on childhood obesityToday marks the start of the 9th Biennial Childhood Obesity Conference. Since it's founding 18 years ago by UC ANR Specialist Pat Crawford, it has grown from a small gathering of California researchers, educators, and health care professionals to the nation's largest gathering on the topic of pediatric obesity/overweight.
So today seems the perfect time to revisit a 2015 conversation with Rose Hayden-Smith, UC's Food Observer, and Crawford, now the Senior Director of Research at UC ANR's......]]>Wed, 31 May 2017 09:07:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24226&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
cckintigh@ucanr.edu(Cynthia Kintigh)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24226Nutrition Policy InstituteobesityPatricia Crawford Delta farm tour gives UC students a broader view of food systemUC Global Food Initiative student fellows from University of California campuses throughout the state gathered for a springtime field trip in the Central Valley to learn more about the relationships between food, farming and the environment.
The day-long tour, hosted by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, began at a farm that is maintained to support wildlife in the breezy Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta region. The GFI fellows also viewed a habitat restoration project at LangeTwins......]]>Tue, 30 May 2017 14:29:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24234&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24234agriculturefarmingFood securityGlobal Food Initiativescience literacysustainability Bananas!Did you know that a banana tree is not really a tree? It's a giant perennial bulb that grows to maturity in less than a year, producing one flower that becomes one huge bunch of bananas. I learned this fact last month from banana growers while visiting the home of organic bananas, the Dominican Republic.
I was invited by a US AID Farmer-to-Farmer project to spend a couple of weeks as a volunteer in the Dominican Republic, primarily to work with the Banelino Banana Cooperative. Banelino is a......]]>Thu, 11 May 2017 09:16:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24091&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
paleff@ucdavis.edu(Penny Leff)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24091agritourismDominican RepublicGlobal Food Initiative Rainbow of potential alternative pomegranate varietiesAlmost all pomegranates grown in the United States are one variety: Wonderful. John Chater, a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Riverside, wants to change that.
He would like to broaden the varieties of pomegranates available so that someone going to a supermarket can, like apples, buy varieties of pomegranates that vary in sweetness, seed hardness, flavor profile and color.
With that in mind, he has spent the last four years researching the commercial potential of 13 pomegranate......]]>Wed, 26 Apr 2017 08:47:07 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23907&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Sean Nealonhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23907pomegranate UC ANR scientists help fledgling Tanzania avocado industryDedicated growers and research support from the University of California have made avocados a California success story. As part of the UC Global Food Initiative, which is channeling UC resources toward sustainably feeding the world's growing population, the California avocado experience can help alleviate food insecurity and poverty overseas.
Two UC Cooperative Extension specialists found a way to do that in Tanzania, Africa, where 69 percent of the population live below the poverty line and......]]>Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:32:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23740&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23740AvocadosGlobal Food InitiativeMark HoddleMary Lu Arpaia U.S. Congressman mixes up healthy food for UC nutrition education programWhen United States Congressman Jim Costa learned about the federally funded nutrition education programs being offered in his district, he made plans to visit.
He wanted a first-hand experience with UC CalFresh, in which UC Cooperative Extension educators visit classrooms to share new foods, teach healthy eating strategies and demonstrate physical activity to children and low-income families.
In April, Congressman Costa not only met a group second graders at La Vina School in Madera......]]>Tue, 11 Apr 2017 06:54:42 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23767&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23767Angelica PerezMandeep Virk BakerUC CalFresh With nutrition education, a conversation may be more fruitful than a lectureHow do we support low-income Latino families with appropriate nutrition education that makes a difference in their lives? This was the question staff with the UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties were asking ourselves as we prepared for a monthly presentation at the THRIVE Healthy School Pantry in Santa Maria, California.
While many nutrition education programs work with local food banks to provide food demonstrations and nutrition information......]]>Tue, 11 Apr 2017 06:53:52 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23769&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
sklisch@ucanr.edu(Shannon Klisch)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23769educatorsparentsSanta Barbara CountyUC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program Building blocks of healthThe scenario: Tomorrow is farmers market day, but not just any market on any day. This market happens once a month as part of a collaboration between the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County and Lopez High School. The high school, a continuation school in the south part of San Luis Obispo County, has a program called Hands-On Parenting Education, or HOPE, which helps expecting and parenting teenagers to graduate.
It's the day prior to market day and HOPE students have a guest lecturer......]]>Mon, 27 Mar 2017 07:23:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23627&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kbogburn@ucanr.edu(Katelyn Ogburn)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23627Dayna RavalinMaster Food Preserverparentingteens 'Agriculture: Food for Life' is the theme of National Ag WeekHow are you celebrating American agriculture in your life? In advance of National Ag Week, March 19-25, and National Ag Day, March 21, Central Valley third-grade students were &ldquo;learning with lettuce&rdquo; how to bring more agriculture into their lives last week. The UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center offers the free lettuce plantings every year at Farm and Nutrition Day in Fresno County and Kings County, typically around the time of National Ag Week.
Students with......]]>Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:45:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23507&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Roberta Bartonhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23507agriculturefoodhealthyKearneylettuceNational Ag DayNational Ag WeekUC Enjoy your tree nuts: UC scientists help with regulatory complianceCalifornia tree nut growers will soon have to comply with new agriculture water testing requirements under the Produce Safety Rule in the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). University of California researchers and advisors are holding seminars to share information about the agricultural water requirements and proper water sampling methods in order to be in compliance with the regulations.
While irrigation or spray water is generally not the source of contamination, it is a vehicle for......]]>Tue, 14 Mar 2017 20:10:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23518&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
cmbrunner@ucdavis.edu(Chris M Brunner)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23518food safetyFSMAtree nuts Start seedlings for your spring-summer vegetable gardenGet a jump start on your spring-summer vegetable garden. Start growing seedlings indoors now to have young plants ready to go into the ground when the weather warms and there is no longer a threat of frost. Growing vegetables from seeds is a passion for many avid gardeners, but even a novice gardener can have fun and success with a little planning and effort.
While growing vegetables from seed requires a little bit of extra work, germinating your own seeds gives you access to a wider variety......]]>Tue, 28 Feb 2017 08:49:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23366&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
mgwomack@ucanr.edu(Melissa G. Womack)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23366SeedlingsSeedsUC Master Gardener Program Building trust in food systems – here and in CambodiaWhat is the role of trust in our food system? Here in the United States, our trust in food is often implicit. We can generally trust that the fruits and vegetables we buy at a grocery store or farmers market are safe to eat &mdash; and we are often free to shop without even thinking about that trust.
Between farmers and agricultural scientists too, trust often plays an important role. If you're a farmer, you need to be able to trust that investing your time or money in a new technique or in......]]>Tue, 21 Feb 2017 08:50:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23237&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
bldawson@ucdavis.edu(Brenda Dawson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23237Food SafetyHorticulture CRSPHorticulture Innovation Labinternational developmentSoutheast AsiaUC Davisvegetables Changes in breast milk sugars impact babies’ health and growthWhen it comes to nursing moms and their babies, an elegant web of cause and effect connects climate, breast milk, gut microbes and infant health.
That web was clearly illustrated by a recently published study involving 33 women and their babies in the West African nation of The Gambia. The research team, including scientists from UC Davis and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, found that complex breast milk sugars called oligosaccharides helped protect nursing babies from illness and also......]]>Wed, 08 Feb 2017 08:33:30 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23167&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pjbailey@ucdavis.edu(Pat Bailey)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23167Davis, CA, USAAfricabreast milkfood availabilitygut microbesinfant healthinternational nutritionmaternal nutritionmilk A super bowl of chili: Something to crow aboutLife is just a bowl of&hellip;ch...no, not cherries!
Chili!
Make that chicken chili.
When the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons square off at Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 5 in Houston, odds are that feathers will fly and football fans will flock to heaping bowls of chili.
All chili aficionados have their favorite recipes, but white chili proved to be the winning alternative to red chili at the annual Solano County 4-H Chili Cookoff, held Jan. 14 in the Community Presbyterian Church......]]>Mon, 30 Jan 2017 11:38:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23068&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kegarvey@ucdavis.edu(Kathy Keatley Garvey)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=23068Marlene MeansPleasants Valley 4-H ClubProject Skills DaySolano County 4-H Chili Cook-OffSolano County 4-H Youth Development ProgramValerie Williams Pecan pie: A holiday tradition and a treat&ldquo;Ahh, nuts!&rdquo;
This time of year, you're probably thinking &ldquo;Ahh, pecans!&rdquo;
And particularly, &ldquo;Ahh, pecan pie!&rdquo;
We do love our pecans. The U.S. produces 80 to 95 percent of the world's pecans, and most are grown in Georgia, according to the UC Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center (FNRIC). In 2014, the U.S. produced 133,165 tons of pecans (in-shell) valued at more than $400 million. Of that, California contributed 2,500 tons, valued at a little......]]>Tue, 20 Dec 2016 13:26:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22822&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kegarvey@ucdavis.edu(Kathy Keatley Garvey)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22822Amy Block JoyGeorgiapecan piepecan productionpecansTexasUC Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center Youth speak, we listen: Youth voices in urban agriculture and building the UC connectionFor many youth in California, agriculture is becoming part of their urban experience. Urban farms, edible parks, and garden education programs are thriving in cities across the state. These places grow food, teach youth job skills, create community green space, and help build food security.
Steven Palomares is one of those youth. As an intern at WOW Farm in 2016, Steven grew and harvested produce, delivered it to local restaurants, and participated in a weekly business management class. "I......]]>Tue, 13 Dec 2016 10:36:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22786&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
abthompson@ucdavis.edu(Aubrey Thompson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22786sustainable agricultureurban agricultureUrban Agriculture/Local and Regional Food SystemsYouth Development Organic produce growers sought for research studyUniversity of California scientists are seeking certified organic growers to participate in a multistate soil and food-safety study. The researchers are gathering data to develop national guidelines and best practices for using raw manure to improve soil health while minimizing food-safety risks in organically grown crops such as leafy greens, tomatoes and root vegetables.
&ldquo;The goal of our study is to provide organic farmers with science-based strategies that effectively limit......]]>Tue, 13 Dec 2016 10:05:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22791&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22791Alda PiresMichele Jay-Russellorganic produce Seven tips for enjoying holiday mealsBefore you gobble down that Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie, take a moment to maximize your enjoyment. The University of California has experts on every topic imaginable, including food and the science of taste and sensory experience. Here are their pro tips on making the most of your holiday meal. 1. Slow down and pay attention People get the most pleasure from their food when they take the time to savor it fully, said UC Davis sensory scientist Michael O'Mahony. Try having everyone at......]]>Tue, 22 Nov 2016 09:30:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22655&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Alec Rosenberghttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22655holiday New life for tea in the San Joaquin ValleyFifty-five years ago, Thomas J. Lipton Inc. funded a tea study at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier, which is piquing the interest of scientists today. For 18 years, researchers pampered and coaxed 41 tea clones to determine whether tea plantations could be a lucrative alternative for San Joaquin Valley farmers.
Scientists of the time predicted a potential $25,000 economic value of future California tea plantings. Today, tea is a $3.8 billion business in the......]]>Fri, 18 Nov 2016 08:24:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22631&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22631Jacquelyn Gervay-HagueJeff Dahlbergtea The power of listening: Working for positive change in SNAP-Ed communitiesChange takes time. There are frequently obstacles. But when it occurs, it can be satisfying.
This year, over 1,000 participant quotes from adults in the UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program chart a course for change. In the food eaten, beverages consumed, or daily exercises undertaken, participants describe a desire to take a new approach, or be more conscious of the little daily decisions that can make all the difference in health.
In 2015, UC CalFresh programs were delivered in 891......]]>Tue, 15 Nov 2016 10:52:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22588&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
amnicoli@ucdavis.edu(Andra Nicoli)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22588UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program Expanding pomegranate productionJohn Chater remembers the day vividly. He was about two years old. His grandfather gave him a dark, purplish pomegranate. Happily, he opened it and starting eating.
He quickly realized his mistake. He was wearing his new light brown suede shoes. The pomegranate juice quickly found the shoes, leaving a permanent scar.
&ldquo;That was my first experience, that I remember, with pomegranates, and it involved getting in trouble,&rdquo; Chater said. &ldquo;Because it was so delicious, I didn't......]]>Tue, 08 Nov 2016 08:42:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22541&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Sean Nealonhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22541Don MerhautJohn ChaterpomegranateUC Riverside Partnering for a safe and strong summerSchool is back in session and students across the nation are busy in the classroom and cafeteria learning and eating. But what happens to students in the summer months when school is out? Research suggests a summer learning achievement gap occurs between children from low income communities and their higher income peers when school is out. Even more, summer has been called &ldquo;the hungriest time of the year&rdquo; for low-income children who rely on school meals to get enough food during the......]]>Tue, 25 Oct 2016 11:13:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22424&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
sklisch@ucanr.edu(Shannon Klisch)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22424nutritionphysical activityUC CalFresh The well-rounded pumpkin: A versatile vegetableFrom seed to table or as seeds on the table, there are many edible forms of this staple fall decoration. While some ease their teeth into the lightly cooked tender green shoots of the plant, the majority of people know the pumpkin in its spherical orange form, with a few teeth missing. But what is the life of a pumpkin outside of an embellishment to autumn and Halloween d&eacute;cor?
In addition to those grown for use as jack-o-lanterns, varieties such as Sugar Pie and Fairytale work well in......]]>Tue, 11 Oct 2016 20:23:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22291&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kbogburn@ucanr.edu(Katelyn Ogburn)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22291master food preserverpumpkin Merits of the proposed soda taxIn November, voters in Oakland, Albany and San Francisco will have an opportunity to make a real difference in the health and well-being of local residents. In all three communities, modest &ldquo;soda tax&rdquo; measures are on the ballot. These measures would place a small tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Two years ago, Berkeley voters approved the first soda tax in the country. Folks in Berkeley pay a penny-per-ounce tax on soda and other sugary drinks including sports drinks, energy......]]>Fri, 07 Oct 2016 09:53:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22274&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22274nutritionsoda October is National Farm-to-School MonthSchools across the country are celebrating local connections to local food producers in October during National Farm to School Month. Education and outreach activities such as school gardens, cooking lessons and field trips are teaching students about healthy, local foods and food's journey from the farm to their forks.
There are plenty of opportunities for teachers and schools to celebrate and get involved in National Farm to School Month with the University of California Division of......]]>Wed, 28 Sep 2016 07:29:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22182&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Roberta Bartonhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=221824-HagricultureassessmentCaliforonia NaturalistFARM SMARTfarm to schoolfoodMaster GardenersNutrition EducationProject Learning TreereadingresearchResearch and Extension CentersSTEMSustainable You!UC ANRyouth Tasty tree fruit in good handsIn mid-September in California's Sacramento Valley the weather begins to tease us with the sense that fall is on its way. Interestingly, as the nights drop in temperature so too drops the desire for the fresh fruits we've enjoyed all summer. The melons, peaches, and plums have dwindled or disappeared from hometown fruit stands and our taste buds are being tickled by the site of the golden pears and the multiple varieties of apples newly arrived from local orchards.
Late in September our......]]>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 15:26:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22179&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
cmbrunner@ucdavis.edu(Chris M Brunner)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22179food safetyFSMAwater quality Does sleep affect child obesity?September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and Hispanic Heritage Month kicked off on Sept. 15. A new Nutrition Policy Institute study on obesity among Mexican-American children ties in with both of these themes.
One in five Mexican-American children is obese, according to national statistics. While scientists agree that diet and exercise play a role in obesity, studies also suggest that children who don't get enough sleep may also be at increased risk for obesity. Does this mean that......]]>Tue, 20 Sep 2016 11:56:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22147&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22147childhood obesityNutrition Policy InstitutesleepSuzanna Martinez Biodigesters turn food into electricity, but can they also create fertilizer?On a recent late-summer Wednesday, a freight container filled with cases of expired Muscle Milk protein drink awaited unloading at the UC Davis Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester (READ) while a front-loader scooped heaps of spoiled vegetables into a mechanical processor. Nourished by a diet of assorted food waste from the UC Davis campus and area restaurants and markets, READ harnesses the activity of billions of microbes to produce biogas capable of generating 5.6 million kWh per year of......]]>Thu, 15 Sep 2016 08:30:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22058&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
abthompson@ucdavis.edu(Aubrey Thompson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22058biofertilizerfertilizerGene MiyaoRussell Ranchsustainable agricultureSustainable Food Systems Tips for a successful fall vegetable gardenFor many gardeners' spring and summer months are synonymous with growing edible gardens, but home vegetable gardening doesn't have to end when cool fall temperatures arrive. This fall, take advantage of California's unique climate that makes it possible to grow a variety of crops throughout the year.
Warm vs. cool season crops
Most vegetables are classified as either a warm season or cool season crop. This designation is based on the temperature range that the plants thrive in. Warm season......]]>Tue, 13 Sep 2016 08:49:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22054&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
mgwomack@ucanr.edu(Melissa G. Womack)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22054 More irrigation for climate-smart farming and food security in GuatemalaConnecting 9,000 rural households in Guatemala with improved water management and climate-smart agriculture strategies is the goal of a new project led by a team at UC Davis, to ultimately increase food security and reduce poverty in Guatemala's Western Highlands.
Called M&aacute;sRiego (&ldquo;more irrigation&rdquo;), the project aims to increase farmers' incomes and their use of climate-smart strategies, including drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, reduced tillage, mulch use and diverse......]]>Tue, 30 Aug 2016 08:02:03 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21947&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
bldawson@ucdavis.edu(Brenda Dawson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21947Beth Mitchamconservation agriculturefood securityGuatemalaHorticulture CRSPHorticulture Innovation Labinternational developmentirrigationUSAIDvegetables Mark your calendar for World Food Day eventsThe day for collectively taking action against global hunger is still two months away. But September and October are already shaping up as &ldquo;world food months,&rdquo; with a number of events connecting Californians to their food systems and the world's food challenges.
World Food Day officially falls on October 16, honoring the establishment of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In the meantime, here are a few worldly UC events to look out for, both online and in......]]>Mon, 15 Aug 2016 14:14:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21804&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Brad Hookerhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21804Catherine BertinichickpeaFAOFarm TankFarm-to-Forknutrition securityUSAIDVideo ChallengeWorld Food CenterWorld Food DayWorld Food PrizeWorld Food ProgrammeYear of Pulses Summer farm funThis time of year, most farmers don't get much sleep. Tomatoes, pears and peaches often ripen in the Sacramento Valley faster than the harvest crews can pick them, even working 12-hour days. But this is also the season that some farmers are happy to show off their farms to visitors, inviting guests to enjoy the delightful flavors and beauty of the harvest in a pause from the bustle. UC Cooperative Extension hosts an online agritourism directory and calendar, www.calagtour.org, to help......]]>Mon, 01 Aug 2016 14:12:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21692&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
paleff@ucdavis.edu(Penny Leff)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21692agritourismcoffeefarm tourspeachesPlumas CountySacramento River Deltatomato processingwine Food bloggers visit the birthplace of integrated pest managementThe San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta is considered by local farmers to be the birthplace of integrated pest management, said Cathy Hemly of Green and Hemly farms on Randall Island.
"A group of pear growers, working with ag extension, came up with IPM," Hemly said.
Hemly shared the IPM history during a tour of the delta for the International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC), held over the weekend in Sacramento.
Hemly said about 50 years ago, pear farmers were faced with growing pest......]]>Mon, 01 Aug 2016 08:12:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21681&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21681IPMPears Endive provided a career-long challenge to Rio Vista farmer/entrepreneurThere is just one commercial producer in California of endive, a missile-shaped French-Belgium sprout from a chicory root that boasts culinary versatility, but lacks popularity. Endive (pronounced on-deeve) adds a bitter bite to salads and stir-fries and its white leaves make little boats to hold other ingredients for dainty hors d'oeuvres.
The biggest challenge for an endive producer, said entrepreneur Rich Collins, is marketing a product unfamiliar to most Americans. On average, U.S.......]]>Fri, 29 Jul 2016 19:47:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21678&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21678endiveJeff Mitchell Food bloggers see innovative olive oil production system in Capay ValleyMore than 400 food writers have converged in Sacramento for the first International Food Bloggers Conference to be held in the California capital. The event began with an excursion for about 45 of the foodies to Capay Valley Ranches, where the focus was on production of premium extra virgin olive oil.
The writers heard about innovations in olive oil production that have allowed California producers to minimize labor costs and maximize yield and quality by establishing super-high-density......]]>Thu, 28 Jul 2016 19:17:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21663&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21663olive oil NPI applauds Smart Snacks for schoolchildrenWith an eye on reducing childhood obesity and improving overall health for children, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the final rule for snacks at schools. The rule made final on July 21 includes requiring snacks served at school to meet nutritional standards similar to those required of school meals.
Lorrene Ritchie, director of UC ANR's Nutrition Policy Institute applauds the USDA for their recently final Smart Snacks in School rule, which complements the nutritional......]]>Tue, 26 Jul 2016 09:52:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21636&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21636childhood nutritionLorrene RitchieNutrition Policy Instituteschools How to make something sweet even sweeterHoney, they say, is the "soul of a field of flowers."
It's more than that if you're a beekeeper. It's your pride and joy.
Whether beekeeping is your livelihood, your leisure activity, or something you do to help the declining bee population, that byproduct of your bees--honey--can also be an opportunity for bragging rights.
Entries are now being accepted for the nationwide honey competition sponsored by Good Food Awards.
If you're one of the nation's beekeepers, there's still time to enter......]]>Wed, 20 Jul 2016 10:15:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21584&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kegarvey@ucdavis.edu(Kathy Keatley Garvey)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21584Amina HarrisGood Foods competionhoneyUC DavisUC Davis Honey and Pollination Center Tackling childhood obesity: A systems change approachOn paper, the charge was clear: launch a statewide effort to integrate the nutrition education programs of USDA SNAP-Ed funded partners. Address childhood obesity and food insecurity holistically, yet specifically. Do this through policy, systems and environmental approaches that will leverage community participation and resources in order to create sustainability at the local level, and do it as funding is declining in SNAP-Ed programs.
But what would this integrated effort actually look......]]>Wed, 13 Jul 2016 08:30:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21460&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
amnicoli@ucdavis.edu(Andra Nicoli)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21460nutritionobesitySNAP-Ed Keeping produce at its bestFarmers markets, produce stands, and likely your own backyard garden are an exploding bounty as California strawberries, stone fruits, and tomatoes show the summer produce season is in full swing.
But have you ever wondered what to look for when selecting fruits and vegetables? Why does your refrigerator have separate bins for fruits and vegetables? Should fresh tomatoes be stored in the refrigerator or on the counter? And how do you keep fresh basil fresh until you're ready to use it?
These......]]>Tue, 05 Jul 2016 13:30:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21451&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
cckintigh@ucanr.edu(Cynthia Kintigh)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21451farm to tablefruits and vegetables Keep your 'Fourth' independent of food safety issuesHappy Fourth of July! It's time to get your barbecues grilling, and your potlucks and pool parties started. So, Independence Day is also a great time to remember to keep &ldquo;free and independent&rdquo; of foodborne illnesses all year long.
Food poisoning is a serious health threat in the United States, especially during the hot summer months. In fact, 1 in 6 Americans will get sick from food poisoning this year,according to the U.S. Department of Food &amp; Agriculture (USDA). That's not......]]>Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:43:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21417&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
rhsmith@ucop.edu(Rose Marie Hayden-Smith)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21417barbecuefood safety As Americans struggle with obesity and diabetes, help is on the wayThe iconic black-and-white Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods in the U.S. is getting its first makeover in two decades. The federal government's decision last month to update the food label means that for the first time, beginning in 2018, labels will list how much added sugar is in a product.
The decision, reflecting the latest science, will be felt well beyond the label. University of California food experts praised the labeling changes and offered six key takeaways.
1. Listing added......]]>Fri, 24 Jun 2016 08:09:48 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21343&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Alec Rosenberghttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21343nutritionnutrition factsPatricia Crawford USDA school kitchen grants enable kids to make healthy food choicesThanks to new equipment in school kitchens, made possible by special USDA grants, schools around the country are now serving fresher, healthier and more appealing food to students, according to research by the UC Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI).
"Years of federal neglect have resulted in many poorly equipped school kitchens, making it impossible to serve the nutritious meals that students need, particularly in light of the obesity epidemic that has affected so many youngster," said Kenneth......]]>Fri, 17 Jun 2016 08:45:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21310&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21310Kenneth HechtNPINutrition Policy Institute Citrus industry, UC Riverside and UCCE team up to fight a citrus killerResearchers at the University of California, Riverside, will soon have a new resource to help them fight a disease devastating the citrus industry.
On June 6, citrus industry, university and government leaders gathered at UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection to announce a joint effort to fight huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. Huanglongbing is a bacterial plant disease fatal to citrus trees
The effort will result in construction of a biosafety-level 3 plant......]]>Mon, 13 Jun 2016 09:47:37 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21261&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Sean Nealonhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21261Asian citrus psyllidGeorgios VidalikishuanglongbingMark Hoddle Community and home gardens improve San Jose residents’ food securityGrowing food in community and home gardens can provide people with more access to fresh vegetables for a healthier food supply, according to a new study. University of California and Santa Clara University researchers surveyed people in San Jose who maintained a garden in their yard or a community garden and found that gardeners consumed more vegetables when they were eating food grown in their gardens.
Participants in the pilot study, published in California Agriculture journal, reported......]]>Tue, 31 May 2016 11:36:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21175&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21175community gardensfood securitygardening Inspiring youth leaders to cultivate healthWhat are sixth-graders interested in these days? &ldquo;Cooking!&rdquo; &ldquo;Growing food!&rdquo; &ldquo;Learning how to be healthier.&rdquo; &ldquo;Exercising.&rdquo; &ldquo;Meeting new friends!&rdquo; These enthusiastic answers came from sixth-grade student leaders in Santa Maria, Calif., when asked by educators from the UC Cooperative Extension Youth, Families and Communities program in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
Through an integrated youth-focused healthy living......]]>Tue, 24 May 2016 09:46:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21119&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
sklisch@ucanr.edu(Shannon Klisch)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21119Santa Maria, CA, USA4-HeducationleadershipnutritionSanta BarbaraSanta MariaSNACUC CalFresh Nutrition Education ProgramUCCEyouth engagement Heirloom tomatoes are a delicious treat and provide a market niche for small growersIn recent years, heirloom tomatoes have become a farm-to-table favorite.
Some consumers are willing to pay a hefty price at trendy restaurants, farmers markets, roadside stands, and even local grocery stores for tomatoes with irregular shapes, vivid colors and rich tomato flavor.
The consumer demand presents an opportunity for small-scale farmers, and a challenge.
&ldquo;It's not easy to grow heirloom varieties,&rdquo; said Margaret Lloyd, the UC Cooperative Extension small-scale farm......]]>Tue, 17 May 2016 10:33:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21063&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21063heirloom tomatoesMargaret Lloydsmall farms Three step salsaMay is typically a month filled with family gatherings and festive celebrations. With Cinco de Mayo at your heels, maybe your appetite for salsa has been whetted and you're craving more. Or perhaps you're planning ahead for Memorial Day and want the perfect snack for that social gathering. No matter what holiday is on your mind, isn't it nice to crack open a jar of home-preserved salsa for any snacking occasion?
Here are three simple steps to having homemade salsa any time of the year.
Step 1......]]>Tue, 10 May 2016 08:24:42 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20989&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
kbogburn@ucanr.edu(Katelyn Ogburn)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20989Master Food PreserversSalsa Teens put their food smarts to the testGrocery shopping can be the most anticipated or the most dreaded necessity of daily life. A trip to the market can end with a smile over the thrill of victory from finding great bargains or end with a frown from the agony of defeat over budget anxieties. For most of us, budget is the primary factor in our food experiences. Low budget or no budget is often the culprit that leads to unhealthy food choices.
Armed with nutrition knowledge acquired through the University of California 4-H Food......]]>Mon, 09 May 2016 08:58:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20832&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
Roberta Bartonhttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20832foodfruitshealthyKearneynutritionsustainanblevegetablesyouth Can you serve up a safe barbecue?April showers bring May flowers, along with barbecue season! The season's warmer weather makes it a great time to be outdoors, but it also means there are increased food safety risks with the higher temperatures. Follow these tips to prepare, cook, and serve up a healthy barbecue:
At the store, buy raw meat, poultry, and fish last. Refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours (within 1 hour when it is 90&deg;F or warmer outside).
Follow the thaw law. Always thaw frozen foods, especially meat, in......]]>Fri, 29 Apr 2016 10:51:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20893&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
matamargo@ucanr.edu(Melissa Tamargo)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20893barbecuefood safety UC’s My Healthy Plate article named 'paper of the year'The USDA's colorful MyPlate icon clearly shows many Americans how to formulate healthy meals for their families with the proper proportions of fruits and vegetables, protein foods, grains and dairy products. However, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition educators in Central California discovered that the infographic was too abstract for local low-literate families. They embarked on a years-long effort to translate the shapes and colors into a series pictures showing plates filled with healthful,......]]>Wed, 27 Apr 2016 14:46:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20888&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20888EFNEPMarilyn TownsendMy Healthy Platenutrition USDA puts more fruits and veggies, less sugar in new child-care nutrition standardsYoung children and adults in care programs will now receive meals with more whole grains, a greater variety of vegetables and fruits, and less added sugars and solid fats. These changes please Lorrene Ritchie, Ph.D., RD, director of the Nutrition Policy Institute in the University of California's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR).
&ldquo;I applaud USDA's decisions to increase servings of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, cereals low in sugar, and healthy beverages,......]]>Tue, 26 Apr 2016 09:10:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20870&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20870Lorrene RitchienutritionNutrition Policy Institute Simple steps for preparing, caring for and harvesting a vegetable gardenWhether in containers, raised beds in your backyard or community garden space or integrated into your landscape, growing edibles can be a rewarding experience if done properly. Oftentimes it is easy for gardeners new to growing edibles to become frustrated and give up after one or two attempts because their experience was less than desirable or overwhelming.
There are several ways to overcome these gardening pitfalls to help ensure you have a successful warm-season vegetable gardening......]]>Tue, 12 Apr 2016 14:01:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20754&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
mgwomack@ucanr.edu(Melissa G. Womack)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20754EdiblesGrowingLandscapingUC Master Gardener ProgramVegetables UC Cooperative Extension takes community gardening to a new level in RiversideFor low-income Californians who can't afford to purchase fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables, the suggestion to simply grow their own is well-intentioned, but overly simplistic advice.
UC Cooperative Extension in Riverside County is bringing together students, agencies, nutrition educators and gardening experts to work alongside families to grow produce in garden plots at a community facility.
&ldquo;Many people don't know how to get started gardening,&rdquo; said Chutima Ganthavorn, the......]]>Fri, 08 Apr 2016 14:37:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20730&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=207304-HChutima GanthavornClaudia Diaz Carrascocommunity gardensglobal food initiativeUC CalFresh Agroecology, internationally and at homeFor many years, a key international strategy to ending hunger has been to grow more food: push for higher yields, develop ways for farmers to intensify their farming, focus on technologies that drive both. But that focus may be shifting towards another strategy that better accounts for the environment and human well-being &ndash; agroecology.
Barbara Gemill-Herren, a retired officer from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, spoke recently at UC Davis of the ongoing......]]>Wed, 06 Apr 2016 08:35:35 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20701&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
abthompson@ucdavis.edu(Aubrey Thompson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20701agroecologyoutreach and extensionsoil healthSustainabilitysustainable agriculture How one farmer’s invention is reducing postharvest losses around the worldIn many developing countries, more than half of all fruits and vegetables are never eaten, but instead are lost, damaged or spoiled after harvest. These &ldquo;postharvest&rdquo; losses can mean that farmers need to sell their fresh produce as soon as it is harvested for whatever price they can get, before they lose the crops that represent investments of labor, water, and agricultural inputs. Improving how fruits and vegetables are handled after harvest can significantly prolong freshness......]]>Wed, 30 Mar 2016 08:55:57 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20603&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
bldawson@ucdavis.edu(Brenda Dawson)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20603food wasteGlobal FoodHorticulture CRSPHorticulture Innovation Labinternational developmentpostharvestPostharvest lossestechnology California food choices won’t save much drought water, researchers findCan you help fight the California drought by consuming only foods and beverages that require minimal water to produce?
Well, as the old saying goes, the devil is in the details. In a recently published paper, Daniel Sumner, director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center at UC Davis, and research assistant Nina M. Anderson mine the details of this issue to help us all better understand just what impact our food choices can have on conserving California's precious water.
To begin with, not all......]]>Tue, 22 Mar 2016 16:45:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20568&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pjbailey@ucdavis.edu(Pat Bailey)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20568ConsumersCropsDaniel SumnerDroughtFoodLivestockWater A spotlight on sorghumSorghum might just be one of the most interesting foods you aren't yet eating. This ancient cereal crop is the fifth most important cereal crop in the world, according to the Whole Grains Council. It's a popular food crop in Africa and parts of Asia, yet in the United States, sorghum has been more commonly used for feeding livestock. But that situation may be poised to change, as more chefs and farmers reconsider this ancient food, which is gluten-free, high-fiber and rich in......]]>Wed, 16 Mar 2016 11:34:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20496&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
rhsmith@ucop.edu(Rose Marie Hayden-Smith)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20496Jeff Dahlbergsorghum Twenty questions that can predict obesityBy asking 20 simple questions about family eating habits, health professionals can help predict the likelihood that young children will become overweight or obese in the future, according to research by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) scientists.
This knowledge allows professionals to quickly identify where interventions are needed to change behaviors before the children end up with chronic diseases caused by an unhealthy trajectory of weight gain.
The project was a......]]>Mon, 14 Mar 2016 08:33:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20489&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20489Marilyn TownsendObesity Prevention Farmers learn, connect, tour and taste in SacramentoRunning a small-scale farm or ranch isn't easy; it requires hard-learned skills, innovative marketing and a supportive community. Farmers and ranchers from all over California will join with farmers' market managers, educators, small farm advocates, and some of the most creative of Sacramento's Farm to Fork chefs at the California Small Farm Conference, held this year at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento from March 5 to March 8, 2016.
For three days, about 400 attendees will join workshops,......]]>Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:56:52 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20356&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
paleff@ucdavis.edu(Penny Leff)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20356local foodSacramentosmall farm programSmall Farms Community Produce Stand opens March 2 in East OaklandFor senior citizens who don't drive, it can be difficult to get to a grocery store or farmers market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.
To improve access to fresh produce for low-income seniors who live in a food desert in East Oakland, UC ANR Cooperative Extension in Alameda County, in partnership with Oakland Housing Authority and Mandela Market Place, will be opening a Community Produce Stand.
The Community Produce Stand will be open on the first Wednesday of every month, from 2 p.m. to 4......]]>Thu, 25 Feb 2016 08:00:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20317&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20317food securityOaklandTuline BaykalUC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program Got chickens? Backyard poultry workshop offered in Oakland March 12For tips on raising healthy chickens in your backyard, attend the Backyard Poultry Workshop in Oakland on Saturday, March 12. Poultry experts will share valuable information for experienced poultry owners and for those just getting started.
The workshop is sponsored by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Cooperative Extension in Alameda County and the California Poultry Federation.
Discussion topics will include:
Poultry behavior in backyard......]]>Fri, 12 Feb 2016 14:57:00 PSThttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20202&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed
pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu(Pamela Kan-Rice)http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20202chickensMaurice PiteskypoultryRichard Blatchford